Barrier Aviation grounded until February

Queensland airline Barrier Aviation has been grounded for almost another two months because allowing it to operate poses a "serious and imminent risk" to air safety, the air safety regulator says.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority on Sunday initially suspended Barrier Aviation from operating for five days because it said it had been flying aircraft with "serious and known defects".

CASA said the airline had also been failing to document those defects when they became known.

Late on Monday, CASA was granted an application in the Federal Court to extend the suspension of the airline until at least 15 February 2013.

The regulator made the application because it said its investigations would not be complete in the five-day suspension period.

"This action was taken because CASA believes permitting Barrier Aviation to continue to fly poses a serious and imminent risk to air safety," CASA said in a statement on Monday.

"If CASA completes its investigations on these matters before February 15, 2013, and is satisfied Barrier Aviation no longer poses a serious and imminent risk to air safety, it may be possible for operations to resume earlier."